Happened Upon
by Permanent Rose
Summary: Three months later, Jane and Maura still have a baby.
1. Chapter I

The familiar muted wail cuts through Jane's fitful slumber, tugging her heavy eyes open. She groans, because she's allowed to moan about this, unlike the millions of women who saddled motherhood upon themselves. Jane didn't ask for this, so her displeasure comes with validation.

Maura stirs, equally as tuned to his soft cry. Her eyelids flutter open, a soft sigh escaping from her lips. Jane gently rests a hand against her arm, heaving her own body up instead. "I'll get him."

"You sure?" Maura's voice in almost unintelligible, heavy with sleep. She closes her eyes, her protest feeble.

Jane nods, though Maura can no longer see her. She pads softly down the hall to the guest room, cracking open the door as the baby's wails grow louder. The room is hardly done up in the fashion of a typical nursery, with only a crib and a recently acquired changing table adorning the room. It wasn't meant to be permanent, but Jane's finding it hard to remember what it's like not to have an ear splitting cry wake her every four hours or so during the night.

She scoops him up with the finesse of a long-time mother, cradling him gently against her chest. She offers him her knuckle, which he prefers to his pacifier, much to Jane's chagrin. He sucks her finger with his bare gums, his tears quickly waning. She carries him into the kitchen, the dim lighting nearly blinding her tired eyes. Jo peeks up from her bed by the door, hardly phased by Jane's presence so late at night. Jo has become quite adjusted to her new home, as Jane has all but officially moved into Maura's place.

Jane finds a pre-made bottle in the fridge, agilely removing the top with one hand and popping it into the microwave. Maura would scold her, reminding her of the inconsistencies in microwave heating, encouraging her to warm the bottle in a pot of hot water instead. But Jane doesn't have that kind of patience tonight, and Henry is fussy enough already.

He had gone for a week without a name, a long enough stretch that had Maura and Jane both worrying that he'd be stuck with the title of 'Baby' if they didn't do something about it. It was hardly their baby to name, and both were hesitant to take the liberty of such a task.

But Lydia was long gone with no indication of where she'd run off to, having left only a scribbled note begging the detective and her family to care for the infant. She claimed that she was hardly capable and that she wanted him to have a good home. Jane couldn't argue with that - if the poor boy at been left in the care of his ditzy, incompetent mother, Jane wagered he'd have been dropped a fair few times already.

Words like 'adoption' and 'social services' had been tossed around without any follow up. After all, he was family, though his exact relationship to the Rizzoli family was still unknown. No one was rushing for a paternity test at this point, and Jane wasn't even sure she wished to know if the tiny infant was her half-brother or her nephew – and she tried her best not to let her mind dwell too long on the topic.

Tommy had offered to take him, but it was a brief offer that had Angela clinging to the baby tighter than necessary. Her mother had immediately fallen in love with the baby, quite predictably, making the prior options of bestowing the child upon another family less and less likely. Maura and Jane had settled into their respected motherly roles quite unexpectedly as well. The spare room was in the main home, not the guest house, making Maura and Jane the logical nighttime feeders.

The first few nights that Jane had spent the night, Maura had woken up beside her, surprised to find that Jane had not left.

"You're still here," she mumbled, peeling herself up from the comforter, still in her clothes. Her blouse was rumpled, a stain a formula crusting against the collar.

A poorly blotted spit up stain decorated Jane's own shirt, and her hair was even more unruly that usual. "Where else would I be?" she muttered, bitter for a moment, but her frustration had soon faded to a small smile. The baby was no one's, but somehow he had become everyone's, and as easy as it would be for Jane to shirk the responsibility – one she could have easily run from – she instead found herself tied to this tiny life, right from the start, and she was grateful Maura remained by her side without so much as a hint of regret.

Angela had grown accustomed to taking the baby to the station during her shifts, and he was certainly the catch of crowd, earning more affection and attention than Jane could have hoped for the poor kid after his unfortunate abandonment on her doorstep. The first day her mother had brought him in, Jane had found herself strangely anxious for the lunch break she hadn't taken in years, eager to see the little boy with Maura in tow behind her.

"Look, he's smiling," Jane crooned, picking the baby up out of his carrier.

"Reflex smiling," Maura noted, her chin brushing up against Jane's shoulder as her eyes fell on the baby. "Babies don't smile in response to stimuli until they are about six to eight weeks of age. These first smiles are both fleeting and innate, and are believed to make newborns more appealing to keep them safe."

Jane had scowled slightly, "Yeah, because I'd eat him right now if he weren't instinctively being cute."

"Many animals do have the habit of eating their young," Maura informed her, patting the splay of dark hair on his head gently.

Angela had appeared a moment later, glad to see the two women indulging the baby. "He needs a name," she stated, reaching into her bag to prepare a bottle for him. "I can't tell you how many people have asked me that today."

Maura was quick to spout of her suggestions, ranging from Sophocles to Icarus to Darwin, earning quite a few eye rolls and noises of disgust on Jane's behalf.

"Well, do you have any suggestions?" Maura had demanded indignantly.

Jane did not. She was not at all prepared to take on the task of providing a child with a name he'd be stuck with for the rest of his life.

"I like Henry," Angela spoke. "Always have – I would have named Tommy that if I hadn't named him after my father."

"I do like Henry as well," Maura immediately agreed. "There are lots of significant Henrys in history – Henry VIII, Patrick Henry, Henry David Thoreau, Henry Ford..."

"Oh, I love it!" Angela exclaimed, beaming down at the small child.

Jane did not, claiming that it was too stuffy and old-fashioned, but she had been outvoted. And Henry had stuck.

XXX

The beep of the microwave slices through the silence of the kitchen, and Jane replaces the lid, shaking the bottle to distribute any heat inconsistencies as best she can. Angela has just bought them a rocking chair for the baby's room, but Jane finds she prefers to feed him in bed, listening to the soft sound of Maura breathing beside her.

She's lucky to have Maura, in whatever strange scenario this is, two best friends co-raising a child. She still feels guilty that Maura has been sucked into Hurricane Lydia, paying for the carelessness of either Jane's father or brother with such responsibility. But she is glad to have Maura by her side, because even with her mother quite available, Jane's sure as hell thankful for the endless stream of knowledge that Maura spouts off about the development and habits of newborns.

Maura doesn't stir as Jane slides into the bed, pressing the nipple of the bottle to Henry's eager lips. Moments like these still feel so surreal and a bit overwhelming. Henry is theirs now, and she gets a little dizzy as she imagines him morphing into a toddler, a child, a teenager. But her heart-stopping panic is usually relieved by a sense of pride – because even though Henry is really her nephew or half brother or whatever, he's become hers, and she's proud she'll be the one who gets to see him grow up.

Henry begins dozing about two thirds of the way through his bottle, and Jane wiggles the nozzle of the bottle to keep him awake until he's done. Maura shifts beside her, cracking her eyes open. "How's he doing?"

"Almost done," Jane whispers, coaxing him to finish. Maura's informed her that its best to have him finish the entire bottle in one feeding instead of letting him sporadically eat here and there.

Maura sits up, watching the pair in the dim lighting. "He looks like you," she mutters, scooting a little closer to Jane on the bed.

"He's a baby, it's too soon to tell," Jane protests, but it is apparent that the Rizzoli genes have taken dominance over Lydia's fair features.

Jane's nodding off herself as Henry finishes the bottle, and she's tempted just to keep the baby in bed with them instead of completing the arduous task of returning him to his crib.

"Jane," Maura's voice tugs her back to consciousness. "As much as I know you don't want to get up right now, it's really not in Henry's best interest to stay with us. Bed sharing with the parents increases the risk of SIDS." _With the parents, _Jane smirks but she refrains from commenting. Because if they aren't Henry's parents, then what are they?

_S__udden Infant Death Syndrome - _Jane's well versed in the term, at which she had suggested moving Henry's crib into their room the first time Maura had rattled on about it, and it's enough to rouse her from the bed, carefully delivering Henry back to his own room.

"Night, sweet boy," she whispers, kissing him softly before leaving his door open a crack, never guessing that motherhood would have suited her so well.

XXX

"You and Maura should go out tonight," Angela offers, tucking her knitted blanket up against Henry's neck. He's asleep in his brand new Pack 'N Play, just after finishing a bottle. Jane cranes her neck in Maura's direction, her tired eyes registering the exhaustion in Maura's face as well. She's about to decline, but Angela insists. "You two deserve a break. Go to dinner or see a movie or something. Henry and I will be fine."

Maura doesn't even rag on her for not changing out of her rumpled outfit, and as they walk to Jane's car, Jane realizes she at a loss of ideas as to what they should do. They'll fall asleep during a movie within minutes, and neither of them have the energy to sit through a nice dinner. As Maura steps into the passenger seat, she looks a bit regretfully back at the house, as if she feels bad about leaving him.

"He'll be okay," Jane soothes her unspoken worries. "Ma managed to raise all three of us," she assures her with a chuckle, and Maura matches her laugh, though she catches her craning her neck once again as they pull out of the driveway.

"Where to?" Jane asks, turning out of Maura's street.

Maura muses for a moment. "Dirty Robber." Jane immediately agrees, the casual atmosphere and easy conversation over drinks is the best either of them can do right now.

It hits Jane just how much of a couple they appear to be right now. Her mother's babysitting offer is in line with a grandmother eager to relieve the anxious new parents of their duties for the night. They've hardly seen anyone but each other in the past three month. Hell, they even share a bed, even if in the most innocent sense – which is all Jane imagines they'd be doing regardless of if their relationship happened to be more, at the rate that Henry keeps them up at night coupled with their endless exhaustion.

Jane has always imagined parenthood would be more daunting, more frightening, and while it is binding, Jane doesn't feel as stuck as she thought she'd feel, which does surprise her when she fully analyzes the circumstances. She can't remember the last time she's been on a date; she can't even remember the last time she entertained the idea of date. She's approaching forty, no closer to finding a husband than she was ten years ago when she would always remind herself she had more time. She's got a kid that's not even hers, tying her to a life she didn't even choose. Yet she's happy – she can't remember being happier, quite frankly, and Maura, who's in a similar boat, seems far from anxious to break away from this life they've created as well.

It's all any middle aged woman could ask for, Jane realizes when she further considers it. It's like they skipped all the heartache, all the uncertainty, and instead just landed themselves with a committed, loving person and a child to raise as their own. Maura is everything Jane has ever wanted – and she realizes that this is not a revelation of any sort. She's known for years now, building a relationship with this amazing woman whom she understands unlike anyone else, who appreciates her far more than any man ever has, and whom she loves in such deeply devoted way that they haven't even needed the added aspect of romance to complete it. In the back of her mind, Jane's always assumed she'd find the love of her life, but she realizes she already has. She's been there all along, just waiting for Jane – just as Jane's been waiting for Maura. This goofy, intelligent, lovable woman is all Jane has even wanted and is all Jane can ever imagine wanting.

She pulls into the parking lot of the Dirty Robber, prying the key from the ignition. "Ready?" she asks, unbuckling her seatbelt.

"Can't we just crawl into the backseat and take a nap?" Maura mutters with a small smile, closing her eyes.

The idea is tempting, and Jane laughs, tapping Maura's arm before she really does fall asleep. "Come on. I smell a glass of Chardonnay with your name on it."

As the two women cross the parking lot, Jane dares to reach out and grab Maura's hand. She's a little startled at first, and she gives Jane a coy glance, but she lets her fingers gently intertwine between Jane's. The fit is perfect, just as Jane wagered it'd be. There's so much she could say right now, so much they could speculate right now, but for now, Jane just revels in this feeling of perfection she just so luckily happened upon.

* * *

_A/N: This is intended to be a oneshot, and usually I never revisit oneshots once they've been completed, but there's a small, small chance I may add a chapter or two to this one - I'm too in love with Henry to completely abandon the idea of exploring him with his two mommies again ;)_


	2. Chapter II

_A/N: So upon writing chapter one, I did have a few ideas floating in the back of my mind, but your overwhelming response and encouragement certainly had me developing them faster, and I can't thank you all enough. So enjoy installment number two :]_

* * *

"Is he sleeping?"

"Yes."

"Do you think he'll stay asleep for a while?"

"Well, he has slept through the past three nights," Maura reasons, crawling into bed beside Jane. She snuggles up against the pillows, grinning as Jane swoops in for a kiss. Jane brings her thumb up to Maura's cheek, stroking the soft skin, never breaking the kiss. Maura lets out a tiny moan, the simple action bringing her inexplicable pleasure.

"Well, then it just might be our lucky night," Jane winks, a delayed response to Maura's words. She fumbles with the buttons of Maura's blouse, not so carefully yanking the material away.

Maura's heart pounds wildly as Jane fingers skim the underside of her bra, both of their hearts pounding harder than necessary. Though they've certainly explored the more physical side of their relationship in the past month, they haven't had much of an opportunity to take it too far. Maura quivers with pleasure as Jane sneaks a finger beneath the underwire of her bra, more than ready to let Jane have her, though still struck with a bundle of nerves at the prospect of their proper 'first time.'

It hadn't take them long to fall into a romantic relationship. The night at the Dirty Robber had escalated into so much more than either of them had anticipated. Though Jane had merely grabbed hold of her hand, such an innocent, simple action, Maura had overanalyzed the influx of possibilities that assaulted her mind, at last surfacing after years of speculation.

Both woozy from exhaustion and the couple drinks they had downed, Maura had yanked Jane into the back of the car upon leaving the bar, pinning her down to the seat. She hovered over her, mustering the courage to follow through with her spontaneous actions.

"I have a feeling you don't want to take that nap anymore," Jane laughed a little nervously, reaching to tuck a curl behind Maura's ear. She grinned up at her, and Maura became dizzy for a moment as Jane's breath splashed over her face.

"You are correct. I do have something else in mind." She bent down, brushing a kiss against the corner of Jane's mouth, gaging her reaction.

Jane turned her face, completing the kiss. She tasted like beer and something else that Maura couldn't name but would soon grow to savor. It was a gentle kiss, and they both pulled away before all reason was swept away.

"I've wanted to do that for a long time now," Maura had confessed, her heart pounding erratically against Jane's chest.

"Yeah, me too," Jane admitted, a wave of relief washing over both of them, glad to have their feelings mutually confirmed.

It was almost too easy, falling into a romantic relationship with Jane, and the fact that it hardly changed anything frightened Maura in the beginning. How could something so perfect come without a price? Was it destined to backfire? Would the hardships come tumbling in at a later point in time?

But the more Maura analyzed it, the more she realized it didn't have to be any more complicated than they were making it. They could not even begin to compare themselves to a normal couple. Many couples started a relationship with the intention of finding love, weighed down by expectations and social standards. Maura and Jane had just happened upon each other. They hadn't even sought friendship from each other, but instead it had naturally settled into place, the connection between the two so innate that they had not even had to put any effort into their relationship.

Maura knew that she could not go comparing her relationship with Jane to others, because she had come to the realization just how rare it was for someone to happen upon their soulmate. While many people found love, Maura knew that not so many people were as lucky as her, who had found the one person who had become her absolute everything. The term 'other half' had never fully registered in Maura's mind until she had found hers, and it was just not a phrase coined by society when it applied to Jane and Maura. They truly fulfilled each other in every sense of the matter.

"Jane," she sighs, her name escaping her lips in a breathy wisp. Jane all too eagerly clamps her mouth against Maura's, fully bringing Maura into the moment. "You..." her voice trails off as Jane's hand cups her breast. "You too," she insists, managing to tug at the hem of Jane's shirt.

She wants them both exposed; she wants to feel Jane's skin the way Jane is feelings hers. It takes Jane a moment to tug herself away, letting Maura reach to peel her shirt away from her skin, reaching for the elastic band of her sports bra in the same motion to save herself the trouble later. Maura's own bra is next to go, followed by Jane's pants. Then Maura's pants. And then finally their panties join the sporadic piles on the floor.

Jane pants as she hovers over Maura, sensing a slight hesitance as she bends down to kiss her again. "Is everything okay?" She holds a trembling hand against Maura's cheek.

"You're gorgeous, Maur," Jane assures her, trailing a hand down her naked torso. "And I love doing this. I love touching you...but I'm tired," she admits, looking bashful and guilt ridden. "I'm so fucking tired." She collapses against Maura, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

"Shh, shh," Maura soothes, holding Jane against her, letting her fingers dance against her bare back. "It's okay, Jane."

"It's not like we have many opportunities to do this," Jane mutters apologetically, her body quivering against Maura's as she continues to fight tears.

"And we're not about to force it just because we happen to have the time," Maura reasons with her. "It will happen when its meant to happen," she assures her, tugging back the comforter as she beckons Jane to slide beneath it with her. " I'm tired too, Jane," she sighs reassuringly, and she can feel Jane's muscles relax, her worry melting away.

Jane nods, curling against Maura, and sleep quickly claims them.

XXX

Of course, they're both still naked when Henry's cry spills through their doorway a mere few hours later.

"I'll go," Maura mutters rising from beneath the covers, missing the warmth of Jane's body almost immediately. Jane stirs, rousing herself as she watches Maura leave the bed.

Maura catches Jane admiring her naked form as she roots around for her robe, a hint of blush rising to her cheeks. As she tugs her robe against her bare skin, she registers Jane's lustful eyes, she's just about tempted to let the baby fend for himself. Of course, the moment they can't have is the one she'd like to seize.

"I'll be back in a minute," she promises, her voice thick with seduction.

She slips into Henry's room, which is now painted a pale shade of green with a Classic Pooh border edging the ceiling. In the past month, they've become more of mothers rather than simply surrogate guardians, and their home has slowly become filled with the necessary baby items and baby proofing equipment that they had ignored the need for before. Maura glances at the digital clock by the changing table. 1am. He's barely been asleep for five hours now, and she begins to rub his back, humming softly to try to coax him back to sleep before she resorts to feeding him.

Less than five minutes later, she's greeted by the heavy sound of his even breaths. Smiling triumphantly, she pads slowly out the door, waiting outside for a solid minute to make sure she has not left prematurely.

Jane's still awake when she enters their bedroom – she loves the simple fact that it's not just her bedroom now. Jane's bare shoulder pokes out from beneath the comforter, and she sheds her bathrobe, leaving it in a heap on the floor.

"He asleep?" Jane mutters, though Maura knows that her thoughts are far from their baby right now.

"Mhmm. Just rubbed his back a little, and he got himself back to sleep," she updates her, peeling the comforter away from Jane's body.

"I'm not tired anymore." Jane's face breaks out into a wry grin.

Maura captures Jane's lips in her own. "Neither am I."

XXX

They're up early the next morning, glowing in the aftermath of their lovemaking. Maura hums as she enters the kitchen, wearing nothing but one of Jane's oversized t-shirts. Jane follows closely behind, clad in Maura's bathrobe. Henry's still asleep, and though they know they should be as well, they relish the simple moment they have to themselves.

Maura puts the coffee on, reaching for Jane once again. Her lips dance over the other woman's, but before she can plant them, the back door swings open.

"Oh." Angela's voice is soft and a bit flustered.

Jane and Maura fly apart, Maura blushing furiously, and Jane cursing like a sailor. Neither of them had been expecting her this early.

"I'll just leave now, sorry for interrupting," Angela quickly amends, reaching for the door knob.

"No, Ma, it's not...it's not what it looks like," Jane feebly explains, because this really isn't the way she wanted her mother to find out she was a lesbian.

"Oh, it's not? Because usually I avoid coming here during, you know, certain hours, just in case I'd be interrupting," she explains with a slight eyebrow raise.

"You know?" Jane's mouth drops open, and Maura inches a little closer to her, not sure what she'd say even if she were able to edge a word in. "How long have you known?"

"Since you two argued over what color to paint Henry's room. Well, before then, probably, but it just hit me then, watching you two argue like a married couple. And then I thought about how neither of you had put up much of a fit about sacrificing your entire lives to raise a baby together. And then I just figured a lot had been going on behind closed door that I hadn't realized," she finishes with a shrug, looking almost shocked that neither of them reasoned that she had known.

"So you're not...mad?" Jane can't find the appropriate word, but she hardly expected her mother to be so nonchalant about her being in a relationship with another woman.

"How could I be mad? You're happier than I've seen you in years and more settled than I could have ever hoped for. And Maura's lovely – I've never had a complaint there, have I?" Here, Maura blushes, glancing appreciatively over at Angela. "And you've given me the grand-baby I've always wanted. What more could a mother ask for?"

Jane reaches for Maura's hand, a mutual wave of relief washing over them.

"Thanks, Ma," she mouths as her mother slips out the door.

XXX

"Maura and I are dating."

Since her mother knows, Jane figures she might as well just inform everyone at this point. The word 'dating' hardly sounds appropriate as it leaves her lips, however. But really, without a marriage certificate, what else can you call living with the love of your life as you raise a baby together?

"Yep, figured that much," Frost mutters with a chuckle, bouncing Henry on his knee. The baby grins, always delighted when he gets to see his Uncle Frostie. Jane knows they'll have to find a daycare for him soon, but she's found she likes having him close by down at the watchful eye of the station.

"Can't say I'm surprised." Korsak lifts his glance from the file he's reading for a brief moment as he acknowledges Jane's declaration.

Jane's shocked, when she expected the reaction to be switched. Had Maura and she been the only clueless ones all these years? As neither of her partners further question her, her confession brushed off as yesterday's news, she wonders just how they'd been placing bets on this.

XXX

It had been Maura's turn to go grocery shopping, and she balances as many bags as she can in her grasp, doing her best to save her multiple trips from her car to the kitchen. As she kicks open the back door, she's greeted by the splitting sound of Henry's wails. She haphazardly places the groceries on the countertop, following the source of the cries into Henry's room.

She finds Jane in the rock chair, trying to console the baby with no avail. "He won't stop," she whispers hoarsely, and Maura can tell she's been crying as well. "I don't know what's wrong. He won't stop."

She reaches for the baby, as if her touch will somehow be more effective than Jane's. She rocks him gently, shushing him softly, her brow creasing when he only screams all the more before it hits her. "I'll be right back."

Jane doesn't have time to question her as she hurries into the kitchen, pulling an ice cube out of the freezer and placing it into a plastic baggy. She hurries back to Henry's room, coaxing the ice cube into the baby's mouth. After a minute, he's sucking contently on the cube, a gentle sigh shuddering through his body.

"Our little man is just getting his teeth," Maura assures Jane gently with a relieved smile. "You didn't do anything wrong. We'll have to get him some teething rings tomorrow."

Jane nods, watching as Henry's eyes flutter shut almost immediately as he's overcome with relief and exhaustion. She places him gently into his crib, prying the bag gently away from his fingers. Jane collapses against the floor, a heavy breath escaping her as she sits against the carpet.

"Are you okay, Jane?" Maura mutters, joining Jane on the floor as she snakes her arms gently around the other woman's waist.

It takes Jane a moment to answer. "I was so scared today," she admits. "And you hadn't even been gone for that long – just makes me realize how much I need you," she concludes softly.

"I'm right here," Maura assures her, gently brushing her hair behind her shoulder.

"Sometimes I still wake up and wonder what it would be like if we didn't have him," Jane dares to mumble. "I never thought much about being a mother, and then this all just happened so quickly. I sometimes don't think I'll be enough for him."

Maura tuts softly in disapproval. "You're a wonderful mother, Jane, and your concern only proves that."

"Yeah, but I still get so damn scared sometimes," Jane sighs, leaning her weight against Maura.

"All mothers do, Jane, whether they planned for years and years to have a child, or whether they were saddled unexpectedly with the task. It's all so new, and its never quite what you expected. Even I get scared," Maura confesses.

The pair is silent for a moment as they listen to the peaceful sound of their baby breathing.

"You know," Jane breaks the silence. "I was thinking today, we still haven't decided what Henry's gonna call us."

"He is approaching the age that most babies do begin to form simple words such as 'momma' or 'dadda,'" Maura noted. "I suppose choosing a different form of 'mother' for each of us would be the best way to go."

"Yeah, I was thinking about that – but would it be weird, considering that he's either my nephew or my brother?" Jane brings up the topic they had still not bothered to clarify. "I mean, if he's my brother, calling me Mom would be pretty scarring, wouldn't it?" She laughs weakly.

"He doesn't have to know – he would never have to know," Maura reasons. "Since we don't know who his father is, we can simply leave it that way. I know that it is a bit unsettling when you think too much about it, but honestly, does it matter? He's your son now, Jane, regardless of his biological relationship to you."

Jane smiles softly. "So what forms of 'mom' do we have to choose from?"

"I considered being 'Momma,'" Maura answers. "And I thought perhaps you'd like to be Ma."

"Oh, hell, no, there is no way I'm turning into my mother," Jane immediately protests before realizing her voice is too loud. She glances over at the crib to make sure she hasn't roused Henry.

"Well, when you come up with a motherly nickname that's not too close to Momma, be sure to inform me," Maura states.

Jane only glowers.

XXX

"How was your afternoon out?" Jane greets Maura, raising an eyebrow at the vast amount of shopping bags she has arranged up her arms.

"Lovely. I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed a good trip to the mall," she gushes, reaching inside one of the bags. "Did you know that J Crew has a children's section? I had to stop myself from buying every item." She holds up a posh little sweater vest and khaki pants. Jane rolls her eyes. "And they should fit soon. Can you believe he's over a year old?"

"Yeah, feels like just yesterday that we'd been left with a baby on our doorstep," Jane mutters sarcastically, though her tone is a bit sentimental.

"How was your and Henry's afternoon?" Maura abandons her shopping bags and positions herself on the floor beside the pair. Henry pulls a slobbery train from his mouth, eagerly shoving it in Maura's direction. Jane watches her take the 'gift,' holding the saliva coated toy in her hands without a second thought. For how neat and prim Maura can come off as, there is no bodily fluid that can phase her in the least. After all, she can dissect a bowel obstruction and examine a body reeking of decay without batting an eyelash, so dirty diapers and spit up must seem pleasant in comparison.

"We had a great time. Had some mac and cheese for lunch – and a banana," she quickly assures Maura at her disapproving eyebrow raise. She's grateful that Maura is so health conscious about their child's diet, because she can't help but to want the absolute best for him, but an occasional non-organic, processed food item is certainly not going to kill him. Jane is sure as hell not going to deprive her kid of mac and cheese.

"Momma," Henry grins, inching himself over to Maura's eagerly opened arms, and Jane finally understands what it means to feel her heart melt as she gazes at the two. Henry tucks his head into the crevice of Maura's neck, and she brings her hand to his tangle of dark curls that neither of them can bear to cut.

"Hey, Henry, want to show Momma what you learned today?" Jane earns the baby's attention, and Maura flips him around in her lap, looking impressed at Jane's declaration.

"Momma," Henry repeats, placing his hand against Maura's cheek as grins up at her.

"And where's your Ma?" Maura encourages, averting her attention over to Jane.

"Ma," he grins, pointing a chubby finger in Jane's direction.

"So tell Momma what you learned today," Maura croons, and Jane was quite certain she'd never see the day when Maura indulged in baby talk – it was a struggle for her at first, to lower her intellectual way of speaking to conform to the infant, but just like any mother, Maura had naturally adopted the habit.

"Come here, Jo," Jane whistles, earning the terrier's attention from across the room. The little dog scampers over toward her owner, eager for attention. "Henry, can you tell Momma what kind of animal Jo is?" Jane encourages, scooping Jo into her lap.

"Goggy!" Henry claps his hands together in delight.

"That's right, Henry," Jane praises. "Jo's a doggy. And what do doggies say?" Henry greets her with silence, so Jane aids him with a hint. "Woof woof? Can you say 'woof woof,' Henry?"

"Oof oof," Henry repeats, grinning up at Jane. Maura laughs lightly, impressed by their progress.

"Okay, Henry, can you tell me what Bass is?" Jane points toward the tortoise burrowed in his shell a few feet away. "What kind of animal is Bass?" She grins a bit wryly as she waits with bated breath for Henry to answer.

"Dutel!" he finally announces, clapping his hands together once again.

Maura wrinkles her brow, shooting Jane a somewhat befuddled glance, as if she heard the word wrong.

"Say it again for Momma," Jane insists, pointing toward Bass again.

"Dutel," he obediently speaks, and this time, Maura fully processes what Jane has done, her face contorting in an expression of horror and disapproval.

"Oh, you didn't," she accuses, narrowing her eyes, and Jane merely confirms it with a wolfish grin. "Henry, no, no, no. That's not a turtle. He's a tortoise. Tortoise," Maura emphasizes. "Can you say tortoise?" She points towards Bass.

"Dutel!" Henry shrieks again, grinning up at Maura for approval.

Maura lets out a frustrated sigh, rolling her eyes in Jane's direction, who has still not bothered to wipe the grin off her face. "Oh, you are so going to pay for this."

"Am I?" Jane laughs, not the least bit phased by Maura's threat.

"You know how particular I am about proper nomenclature," Maura issues a final warning, which of course only eggs Jane on.

"Tomorrow I thought I'd teach him to call your Louboutins 'Jimmy Choos'," she barks out a laugh, a bit smug as Maura's face continues to morph in annoyance.

"That's it. Hand me my laptop," Maura demands, eyeing the Macbook on the coffee table. She places Henry on the floor, handing him back his plastic train.

Jane nudges it toward her, an expression of confusion sweeping across her face, which immediately shifts to suspicion. "Why? What are you going to do? Because ordering another organic baby food maker or whatever isn't going to phase me. I fully support a healthy Henry."

"Oh, no, the Baby Bullet is sufficient enough. Though I am ordering something for Henry." Henry looks up from his trains at the mention of his name, wondering what all the fuss is about. Jane peers over Maura's shoulder as she opens up Amazon in a tab, watching curiously as she begins to type.

_Baby New York Yankees apparel. _Jane's jaw drops in shock as Maura taps the enter key, her eyes immediately assaulted by a slew of pint-sized atrocities. "You wouldn't dare."

"Watch me," Maura raises an eyebrow, clicking on one of the appalling onesies.

And all at once, Jane tackles her to the ground, smacking the laptop shut in the process.

"Oof," Maura grunts, trying to shove Jane off of her with no avail. Jane keeps her pinned tightly to the ground.

"I was merely joking," Maura protests, slightly winded.

"Really?"

"No."

"Momma?" Henry has abandoned his trains, hesitantly crawling over to his mothers.

Jane releases Maura, scooping the boy up in her arms as she lets him see that Maura is unharmed. "Your Momma is crazy," she chuckles, kissing his rosy cheek.

"No, your Ma is the crazy one," Maura counters as she pulls herself up from the carpet, inching toward the pair.

"Dutel," says Henry, watching as Bass makes an appearance from his shell.

A scowl decorates Maura's face, but Jane merely ignores it as she covers it with her own lips.

* * *

_A/N: So this is really all I have planned for the time being, but I'm certainly not going to abandon it completely just yet. Jane and Maura still need to get married, after all ;) One of my reviewers suggested that I take a 'time jump' approach to this and focus on little snapshots of their life with Henry, so as the ideas come to me, I'll be sure to add more. And if you guys have anything specific in mind you'd like to read about, just let me know. Thanks again :]_


	3. Chapter III

_A/N: This vampire free chapter is dedicated to Abby. _

_Also, I cannot thank you guys enough for your feedback. Each review is very much appreciated - you guys are awesome._

* * *

Jane's eyes threaten to close as she attempts to focus on the words that spill out across the page, reading the same sentence for the fourth time. She sighs, folding over the corner of the page of her James Patterson novel. Even when she does have time for light reading, she hardly has the energy to do so. She nestles deeper into the throw pillow of the couch, finally letting her eyes remain shut.

She's about succumb to slumber, making a nap out of her rare moment of free time, when she hears a thud followed by Henry's scream. He's with Maura, taking his nightly bath, so she merely cracks an eye open, waiting patiently for his sobs to fade.

"Jane!" Maura's voice travels down the hall, her tone laced with panic, having Jane off the couch as quickly as she can react. She hurries down the hall, a flash of red assaulting her eyes as she throws open the door. It takes Jane a moment to identify it as blood.

She can't speak as she assesses the situation. It appears the source of the blood has come from Henry's lip, and it gushes from the wound, covering the stark white towel Maura has wrapped around him. Her own pale blouse is decorated with red stains, and her eyes flash in fear. Jane has never seen her so speechless.

"What happened?" Jane finally crouches down beside the inconsolable child, taking him in her arms, which Maura is still too numb to do. His sobs persist, and Jane notices that Maura's hands are shaking.

"He fell. When I helped him out of the tub, he slipped and bumped his lip. It all happened so fast." Now that she's begun to speak, the words fall from her lips in a panicked rush. "It wasn't – Jane, it was so fast. I don't even know…what should we do? Do you think we need to bring him to the emergency room?"

Jane sucks in a deep breath. Usually Maura's the stoic one in these situations, but she's shaking like a leaf as she gapes at the damage, turning to Jane for guidance. It's an unfamiliar scenario, and Jane's first instinct is to panic as well; Henry's screaming has hardly subsided as Jane clings to him, rubbing circles on his back through his towel. "Take a deep breath, Maura," she commands, surprised she can keep her voice so steady. "You're a doctor," she reminds her. "I'm sure that you can determine if he'll need further medical attention or not."

Jane flips Henry around in her lap, wiping his lip with the already ruined towel. She keeps her grip steady, watching Maura gulp in a few breaths before she nods. "Shh, shh, Henry," Jane soothes. "Momma is gonna look at your lip. She's gonna make sure you're okay. Shh."

Maura reaches for Henry's chin, her fingers tense, as if her simple touch will break him. She inhales a few more times, relief washing over her face as she assesses the severity of the wound. "He shouldn't need stitches."

Her words ease both of their worries. Jane kisses the top of his head lightly, exhaling a breath she didn't realize she had been holding.

"Henry, can you open your mouth for Momma?" Maura confidence is returning, and she keeps a firm grip on his chin as he tries to squirm away from her touch, letting out another howl. "Damn it." Jane jerks her head up immediately; it's a rare occurrence to hear Maura resort to swearing. "He chipped a tooth."

The panic is back. "Where? Which one? Can we do anything?" Jane cranes her neck, peering into Henry's bloody mouth.

"His front one – the one on the left," Maura informs her, letting Henry's chin out of her grasp. "Unless the damage is major, it's not customary to fix a chip that occurs in the first set of teeth. It may need to be filed down, however. We'll need to set up an appointment with a pediatric dentist."

Henry has worn himself out from crying, his sobs fading to a hushed whimper. Maura rises from the floor, wetting a washcloth in order to dap the wound and clean the remaining blood on Henry's skin. His lip has already begun to scab by the time she's done.

"You wanna take him to bed?" Jane suggests, handing the toddler over to her girlfriend. "I'll finish cleaning up in here."

Maura nods, leaving the bloody towel in the bathroom as she hauls their son down to his room. There's not much left to clean, and Jane easily erases the remnants of blood from the tub and the tiled floor. After draining the tub water, she takes the towel and the washcloth, tossing the once white clothes into the trash, knowing that they are beyond salvaging.

"He okay?" Jane asks when Maura emerges about twenty minutes later, still clad in her blood stained blouse. She had wanted to go in and kiss him goodnight, but she figures its best to just let him recover from this trauma with as few disturbances as possible.

Maura nods, letting out a heavy sigh. She reaches for Jane, who graciously draws Maura into her embrace. "It's not your fault, Maur," she assures the other woman of her unvoiced concern.

Maura nods, letting a shuddering breath course through her. "The books don't prepare you for this," she murmurs. "They tell you that there will be accidents, and how you should handle them, but nothing prepares you for that feeling of panic and guilt you get when your child becomes injured on your watch."

Jane takes her hand, rubbing gentle circles against back of her hand with her thumb. "It's all part of being a parent. Gotta take the good and the bad," she mutters softly, surprised to feel that's Maura's heart has not yet returned to an even rate.

She pulls away from Maura, entering the kitchen. She rummages around the refrigerator, producing a can of beer and a bottle of wine. She pours Maura a generous portion, nudging the chilled beverage in her direction. Jane cracks open her beer, taking a much-needed swig.

"Thanks, Jane," Maura smiles, sipping her own drink delicately.

They don't speak anymore as they drink, relishing the comfort of the hushed silence.

XXX

"Hey, little man, heard you chipped that tooth of yours," Frost grins at Henry the next time Jane brings him around the station. He squirms in Jane's grasp, eagerly reaching toward his 'uncle.'

"Unca Fostie!" he grins, displaying his chipped grin.

Frost laughs, taking the toddler from Jane's arms. He bounces him lightly against his hip, earning a giggle from the boy. "Gonna have to start calling you 'Chip.' How would you like that?" He swoops in to tickle Henry's tummy, earning a shriek from the overly ticklish child.

"He might like it, but Maura won't," Jane warns, though a smile dances across her lips as well. "She's still pretty bent up that it happened on her watch. Seeing him grin is enough of a reminder."

"Ah, man, way to ruin my fun. Maybe we could get your Momma to warm up to it, eh, Chip?" he tries it out, earning another giggle from Henry. "Much cooler than Henry, if you ask me." He raises an eyebrow in Jane's direction, who can't argue with his statement.

In the past year and a half, Jane had grown much closer to Frost than she had expected. Though she still considered Maura her best friend, she could not longer be the reasonable, objective friend Jane needed when seeking relationship advice - for the obvious reasons - and Frost had naturally assumed that role. She was grateful to have him in her life as more than just a partner, appreciating his friendship far more as it grew more significant with time. She and Maura had named him the godfather of their child, and he had enthusiastically accepted the role.

Between Frankie, Frost and (occasionally) Tommy, Jane's glad that Henry will grow up with such strong male role models. She's never doubted that Maura and her will be able to provide Henry with everything that he needs, but especially with the disappointment Jane's own father has dished out in recent years, she wants Henry to have a much stronger male influence in his life.

"Chip," Jane muses, laughing again as her eighteen-month-old grins back at her, earning his new nickname. "I wonder if I could convince Maura to let that one stick.

XXX

"Maura, for the love of God, I am _not _going," Jane moans, her tone equivalent to an obstinate child's.

"Jane, come on," Maura pleads, biting down on her lip in frustration, mostly likely unaware of how adorably convincing she looks right now. Jane scowls, reminding herself that she doesn't have to cave.

But Henry's face is another matter. "Ma," he beckons, twisting in Maura's grasp as he looks toward his other mother. "Ma come?"

"Fine," Jane huffs, earning a smug smile from Maura. She probably coached him to say that as she dressed him this morning – yet another aspect of this outing that she does not approve of. A Red Sox jersey is appropriate apparel for a play date – not the expensive collared shirt, sweater vest get up Maura has clad him in.

Jane knows she's merely trying to fit in. Ever since that mother Melanie or Mallory or whatever from Henry's daycare invited Maura to join her playgroup, Maura immediately jumped on the opportunity, trying to include a conventional aspect to their parenting. She's gone twice by herself already, and Jane can only guess that she's desperate for Jane to join her so she doesn't feel like the odd one out. She can imagine Maura diagnosing children as she uses her overly complex way of speaking, earning forced smiles and hushed whispers from the other mothers.

"Do both parents typically come?" Jane questions, swatting a loose strand of hair away from her face as Maura buckles Henry into his car seat. She's surprised Maura hasn't commented on her own apparel – a simple fitted tee and her usual slacks. Perhaps she's realized she can only win so many battles at one time.

"No," Maura speaks hesitantly. "Usually just the mothers. And there is one father who has recently joined the group. But don't let that deter you, Jane. I know you'll be more than welcome," she quickly adds, starting the car before Jane can bolt.

Jane groans. "So not only are we going to be the only couple, but we'll be that taboo _lesbian _couple," she states with disdain, earning a tut from Maura.

"I didn't realize you were ashamed of our relationship," Maura averts her attention from the road to raise her eyebrows in a disapproving manner at Jane.

"I'm not ashamed," Jane protests. "I just don't wanna give these ladies something else to gossip about."

Maura rolls her eyes, and Jane takes it as her cue to shut up. The rest of the car ride is filled with tension and silence, with only the occasional babble from Henry entertaining himself in the backseat, oblivious to his mothers' argument.

As they park in front of a house that is quite possibly even nicer than Maura's, Jane nerves settle in, and she wishes she had changed her shirt. _Stop it, _she berates herself. She's better than that, and she doesn't need to grovel for these women's approval.

Maura holds Henry securely against her hip, and Jane takes his diaper bag - which Jane notices that Maura has switched from their simple blue tote to one of her coach bags, only adding to Jane's agitation.

"Maura! How lovely to see you!" a overly tanned blonde woman greets her in a sickly sweet tone, donning a grin much too wide for her face.

"It's so nice to see you, too, Marissa," Maura smiles back just as sweetly, her voice a pitch higher than usual.

"Is this your sister?" she turns toward Jane, at which Jane throws Maura a confused look. "She looks so much Henry."

"Actually, no. Jane is my partner," Maura's voice is a bit soft as she answers, a hint of a blush rising to her cheeks. Jane bites back a remark, but she'll certainly be getting on her hypocritical girlfriend's case later.

"Oh, how lovely!" Marissa's smile only grows bigger and faker. "Please, come in."

"I can see you've become quite close and honest with these 'friends' of yours," Jane hisses as they walk down the front hall into the living room.

Maura shoots her a defensive glare. "It just hasn't come up yet."

Their hushed argument is cut short as they're thrown into the lion's den. Jane finds it hard to keep a pleasant smile on her face as ten or so other mothers who are just as fake and blonde as Marissa scrutinize her with their eyes. She fights the urge to grab Maura's hand, because she's pretty sure that will make the judgment worse.

"Everyone, this is Maura's partner, Jane." Marissa introduces her to the crowd. The way she says 'partner' in such a condescending manner has Jane even more livid. She reminds herself to breathe, looking over at Henry's face as he eagerly eyes the other children playing on the floor. They're doing this for him.

They're greeted by murmurs, a few side whispers, and a roomful of horribly forced smiles. "Hi, everyone," Jane mutters dutifully with a tiny wave.

"It's nice to meet you, Jane," a woman with a chest the size of Texas stands up to greet the pair. "I'm Lorraine."

A thin, curvy woman who looks like she's received one too many facelifts joins Lorraine, her bracelets jangling as she grins in Jane's direction. "I'm Brittany. So tell me, did you guys adopt, or did you use, you know, other methods to conceive Henry?" A ripple of nervous giggles scatter through the room as Brittany snaps the last straw.

"Oh, and can I ask about the night your husband shoved his dick up your vagina to create your unfortunate offspring?" Jane spits in reply. The room falls silent as all eyes fall on them. Even the children look up from their toys, the sudden change in atmosphere startling them. "Well, it was lovely to meet you all, but I'm afraid we'll have to be going now," Jane finally breaks the silence. She grabs hold of Maura's arm, dragging her out the door.

"Jane!" Maura exclaims as soon as the door slams shut. She yanks her arm out of Jane's grasp.

"What, Maura?" Jane retorts. "You saw the way they were looking at us. And that comment was just the icing on the cake."

"I know they're a bit…snobby," Maura counters carefully. "But I wanted to do this for Henry. It's only normal that he has friends his own age, and it's important for us to form connections with the parents as well. We don't need Henry being any more isolated that he already will be. Having two mothers is not going to always be easy for him, so the least we can do is have him interacting with other children and their families from a young age."

"Oh, yeah, and these fake bitches who you didn't even feel comfortable enough to mention your sexual orientation to are _exactly _the kind of friends I want Henry having too."

"You hardly gave them a chance, Jane! You are much to quick to bite off people's head. Yes, they were a bit uncomfortable at first, but given some time, I'm sure we could have warmed up to a few of them," Maura vehemently responds, shoving her seatbelt into the buckle.

"Oh, so do you want go back in there? Sorry I ruined just ruined your relationship with your new BFFs," Jane's in no mood to reasonable at the moment, glaring at Maura as she starts the car.

"Well, thanks to you, you've ruined any chance of that," Maura guns on the gas a bit abruptly.

It's going to be one hell of a ride home.

XXX

"Any chance you could have kids any time soon?" Jane mutters as she hands Frost a cup of coffee the next morning.

"Yeah, me and my nonexistent girlfriend will get right on that," Frost chuckles. "You look like hell. Domestic squabble in the Rizzoli-Isles residence?" he accurately guesses.

"Maura dragged me along to playgroup with her and Henry yesterday," Jane explains with a sigh. "And after about three seconds with those arrogant, fake, homophobic bitches, I pretty much made sure we'd never be welcome again. Maura just wants Henry to have some friends his own age, hence my request. Playgroup with you is something I could handle," she adds with a small chuckle.

"Aw, I'm flattered," Frost grins back. "So you looking for advice? I'm still not great at this whole 'girl friends' thing." He knows he's become what Maura used to be for her in these kind of situations, and she has to be thankful he puts up with these moments when she's a needy girl.

"I don't know," Jane admits. "I slept on the couch for the first time since we've had Henry – guess I just got caught up in our relationship always being so easy. For all the bickering we do, hardly any of it is serious. I hate knowing that she's really mad at me."

"Well, if there's one thing I've learned from dealing with women, it's that they like it when you admit you were in the wrong," Frost raises an eyebrow.

"Well, I'm a woman, too. Why can't she be the one doing the admitting?" Jane huffs irritably.

"I'm merely making an observation," Frost shrugs, doing his best to look innocent.

Jane glowers, but in her head, she's already writing an apology.

XXX

Jane's stubborn, and she hates losing an argument, but she's pretty sure she'll be doing it more often if the makeup sex is always this good. Even her promise to make a better effort to be social with the other mothers at Henry's daycare seems trivial as she hovers over Maura, panting as Maura challenges her to another round.

"You can be right all the fucking time," Jane growls. Somewhere, in the back of her mind, a little voice tells her to shut up. But the argument is feeble as Maura palms her roughly.

"That," she enters a finger, eliciting a moan from Jane, "is exactly," she enters another finger, tilting it to just the right angle. "what I like to hear," she concludes with a purr. He tone is smug, but she's too alluring for Jane to give a damn.

Jane attacks Maura's lips, bucking against her hand, sending her into a bout of pleasure that leaves her dizzy. She is so fucking whipped, but she'd like someone to point out a reason that she should care.


	4. Chapter IV

_A/N: So this story is coming to a close - I know I left it so I could indefinitely continue it, but I feel that baby fics have the potential to become a little redundant and a bit too fluffy when they drag on too long, so after this chapter, I'll be writing just one more. Thanks for your lovely encouragement - without your wonderful feedback, this probably would have stayed a oneshot, so thanks for loving this little universe I created and encouraging me to write more. As always, let me know what you think :]_

* * *

"So how'd you ask your wife to marry you?" Jane leans up against the corner of Korsak's desk, trying to sound nonchalant as she focuses her attention to the scars on her hands, a habitual action, fingering the skin as she avoids making eye contact with him.

"Which one?" Korsak chuckles, lowering his glasses from his face. "Eh, all of them were pretty standard proposals, down on one knee after a nice evening out." He shrugs, his eyes finding Jane's face. "Why do you ask?"

It's Jane's turn to shrug, feeling embarrassed and self-conscious that she's come to Korsak with this, but she's been mulling over a potential proposal. "Been thinking about asking Maura to marry me."

"Oh, of course," Korsak nods as Jane provides the obvious answer. "How do you, uh, decide who does that? I mean, what if Maura is already planning to propose?" he mutters, a bit flustered, and Jane knows that he asks this only in innocent curiosity – he does not intend his words to be insulting in the least.

Truth is, Jane's been pondering the same thing. They've mentioned marriage before, glad to live in a state that provides them with the right, but their lives are constantly hectic, leaving little time to truly entertain the idea, especially when they're already as good as married even if it's not recognized by the law.

"It's because Jane's the man in the relationship, that's why," Frost butts into their conversation, moseying his way over to Korsak's desk.

Jane swiftly punches his arm, her scowl displaying her displeasure. "Fine," she admits. "I do tend to bring a somewhat masculine energy to our relationship, and I am taking it upon myself to take on this traditionally masculine duty, so get over yourself and help me come up with some clever ideas."

"Sassy," Frost tuts. "So what kind of proposal are you going for?"

"I just want it to come as a complete surprise," Jane explains to her two partners. "I mean, it's pretty much a given that we're in it for the long haul, so I want to add some excitement in the very least."

Frost nudges Korsak out of his chair and takes command of his laptop. "Lord Google demands our attention." He types 'marriage proposals idea' into the search bar, watching a plethora of results pop up. "Okay, you could ask her at the place you went on your first date," he reads off the first site. Before Jane has a moment to answer that she's not sure she knows what constituted as their first date, Frost barrels on with a snicker. "You can say, 'We've had an amazing journey together so far, and now I think we're ready to take the next step in that journey. I'm hoping you'll do me the honor of marrying me.'"

Jane snorts. "Uh, yeah, you'd better 'X' out of this before I vomit."

Frost ignores her, plowing on. "Play a trivia game together. When it is your sweetheart's turn, casually say 'Your question is: Will you marry me?' rather than the question written on the card."

Jane groans. "Just. Stop."

"You're the one who wanted ideas," Frost shrugs. "Besides, anything too creative is gonna be somewhat corny – it's part of the fun of it. You've just gotta pick your poison. Here's another - Scavenger hunts are always an entertaining marriage proposal idea. Start off with a simple clue to someplace nearby, then get more complicated as the scavenger hunt progresses, and have the final location be a place where you can hide and then pop out and get down on one knee."

"Nope," Jane promptly answers. "Too lame. These are all too lame. I'll just ask her tonight after we put our kid to bed."

"Ah, come on, Jane," Korsak encourages. "Not all of these are so bad. And you said it yourself – you wanted to do something memorable."

Jane rolls her eyes. "Yeah, she'll remember it as the lamest moment of her life."

"Aha!" Frost announces, clicking out of the site, a triumphant grin on his face. "I have the _perfect_ idea for you."

XXX

"This is stupid. Why'd I let you talk me into this?" Jane hisses in Frost's direction.

"What are you two whispering about?" Maura turns to face them, their hushed voices lost amongst the clamor of the crowd. She holds Henry against her hip, watching as the pair looks at her somewhat guiltily. Maura frowns, her brow furrowing in confusion.

"Uh, it's your shirt, Doc," Frost answers quickly, and Jane shoots him a heinous look, unsure where he's headed with this. Maura glances down at her attire, her frown deepening.

"What's wrong with my blouse?" she fingers the maroon fabric, looking slightly hurt.

"Nothing, but we just can't have you going to Celtics game dressed like that, now can we?" Maura's face relaxes upon hearing his words, and Frost further adds. "Korsak, would you please take the good lady over to gift shop and buy her some proper apparel."

"Me?" Korsak mutters in confusion, his glance shifting between Maura and his two partners.

"No, I'm talking to the other Korsak," Frost rolls his eyes. "And get Chipper here something to wear as well – I'm glad you had the decency to wear appropriate attire, Jane," he concludes, referring to her faded Celtics tee she had dug out of her closet earlier.

Korsak ushers Maura and Henry toward the shop before Maura can protest (or once again express her displeasure at Henry's nickname she's been trying to avoid.)

"I hate you," Jane mutters once the others are out of sight. She folds her arms across her chest, glaring in Frost's direction.

"Oh, come on, stop acting like you're five. This is a kickass idea, so stop your whining," Frost brushes off her contempt.

"No, you just wanted an excuse to go to the game, and your idea is just as lame as that fucking website. I cannot believe I let you talk me into this," she further laments, wondering why on earth she had latched onto his idea.

"Jane, we've been other this. Yeah, it may be a little corny, but its gonna be fun. I doubt she suspects a thing, so you've got the element of surprise in your favor. Plus, you know next to nothing actually embarrasses her, so we couldn't have picked a better idea," Frost consoles, his tone confident and persuading.

"Fine," Jane huffs, her scowl softening.

"So go over it again with me?" Frost encourages.

"Between the third and fourth quarter, the jumbotron is gonna pan in on us and it's gonna flash the words, 'Maura, will you marry me?'" Jane obligingly recites for him. Jane had thought a Red Sox game would have been more appropriate, but she hadn't wanted to wait until baseball season began. Though she's quite sure Frost's idea sprung from his own desire to go to a game, she can't deny the perfect scenario it's offered them. A family outing with Korsak and Frost is the last place Maura's going to suspect a marriage proposal. Jane smirks a little as she adds, "Man, I cannot wait to see the look on her face."

"See, was my idea great or what?" Frost brags a bit smugly, giving her arm a pat as Korsak, Maura, and Henry approach them, clad in their new green apparel.

Jane gulps, feeling nervous as she leans in to brush her lips against Maura's cheek. "You look great, babe."

Maura's eyes glint in that familiar, alluring way that they always do when Jane uses the familiar pet name, and she can't help but to wonder why she hadn't popped the question simply years ago.

XXX

"Who wants a hotdog?" Frost asks, returning from the concession stand with a bucket full of franks as the third quarter begins.

"Send one over my way," Korsak immediately jumps on the offer, barely averting his gaze from the game.

"Ball," Henry announces for the hundredth time, repeating the simple word as he watches the said object bounce on the court.

"Gimme two," Jane requests. "Henry, want a hotdog?" she asks with a sly grin, earning a glare from Maura. "Oh, come on, let the kid live a little," she protests as Frost hands her the hotdogs. "You should have one, too. Take a break from that organic shit you're always going on about."

"Oh, I don't know," Maura mutters, though Jane can distinctly hear her stomach rumble. "It's been years since I've had a hotdog," she adds doubtfully.

"All the more reason to indulge," Jane encourages her, plopping the hotdog down on her lap.

Maura looks at it skeptically before hesitantly taking a bite. "Oh, this is quite good," she mutters, proceeding to scarf down the entire wiener. Jane raises an eyebrow as she breaks Henry's hotdog down into bite-sized pieces for him. Maura looks sheepishly over at Frost, asking softly, "May I have another one?"

He barks out a laugh, granting her request. Jane watches her take a delicate bite before she caves, eating it nearly as fast as the first one.

The game is close, but Jane can hardly pay attention to the score as the end of the third quarter draws nearer. Maura looks a bit queasy herself, but Jane's sure its just her own mind being paranoid. She's a wreck of nerves as she tries to anticipate Maura's reaction.

"I'm going to head to the bathroom," Maura announces shortly, rising from her seat.

"No!" Jane protests before she can stop herself, biting down on her lip as soon as the word flies out of her mouth. "I mean, you don't want to miss the end of this quarter, do you?"

"I'll be back soon," Maura assures her, already edging toward the end of the aisle. "I won't miss very much."

Jane nods, though she's holding her breath as she watches the clock. She has time, she reminds herself gently as she exhales.

But ten minutes later, Jane's beginning to worry, glancing out toward the aisle every three seconds in search for her girlfriend.

"Dammit, where is she?" Jane's quite certain she's having a full blown panic attack as she glances up toward the jumbotron, the fourth quarter impending at an alarming rate. She's glad when the ref calls a foul, the clock stopping with a few minutes left to spare.

"Don't worry, Jane. She's been gone a while now so I'm sure she'll be heading back in no time," Frost attempts to soothe her. Jane merely scowls, bouncing Henry a bit roughly on her knee in her bout of anxiety.

"How long does it take to go to the bathroom? I swear, if she's reapplying her makeup…" Jane leaves her threat unspoken, a noise of disgust following her words.

She watches the clock rapidly draw close to zero, clinging to Henry, who squirms uncomfortably in his mother's grasp. "Momma," he whines, craning his neck in search for Maura.

"Yeah, I want her here just as bad as you do, kid," she hisses, ready to punch something as the clock buzzes loudly.

"Calm down, Jane," Korsak does his best to keep her rational. "You've still got a few more minutes."

But a few more minutes pass, and Maura still has not made an appearance. Jane's ready to explode, and Frost and Korsak finally look nervous as well as they glance toward the aisle. The moment that Jane had been anxiously awaiting all day barrels in with dread, the words 'Maura, will you marry me?' flashing across the screen as the camera pans in their seats. Jane attempts to wave the camera away, a look of fury painting her face. The crowd murmurs loudly, and the camera remains on the group for much too long a time before realizing that Jane had not pulled off her stunt.

"I am going to kill her," Jane seethes as the screen finally switches back to the court. "And that is the last time I listen to a _guy _for advice about something like this," she spits with unnecessary venom in Frost's direction. She dumps Henry on his lap, stomping off in the direction of the bathroom.

She's angry with Frost, and she's furious at Maura, but really, the person she blames most is herself. She wanted this to perfect – Maura deserved for this to be perfect. For the first time, she realizes she should be worried by Maura's prolonged absence, and some of her anger has faded by the time she throws open the door.

She finds Maura pacing by the paper towel dispenser, her face pale. Her eyebrows knit together as she catches sight of Jane.

Jane licks her lips, her mind in a befuddlement of anger and confusion. "I just proposed to you," she suddenly blurts, a hint of tears on the edge of her voice.

"What?" Maura clenches her hands together, looking quite uncomfortable as she tries her best to process Jane's words.

Jane's brain is on overload as she tries to process Maura's reaction, her pride wounded as she barrels on. "I just proposed – on the jumbotron. That's why I brought you to this fucking game in the first place."

Maura's face widens in shock, and she opens her mouth to speak. "Oh, Jane, I—" But her words are cut short as she throws open the door to nearest stall, the contents of her stomach spilling out quite loudly. She emerges a few minutes later, her legs trembling as she leans against the wall for support. Her hair is mused, and a thin sheen of sweat covers her forehead.

"Did Frost tip you off?" A desperate tone enters Jane's voice as she registers Maura's reaction. Had the idea of marriage sent Maura into this spiraling panic? The one part of her plan she had been so certain about, the devotion she had been so certain was present has now been left in shambles, and suddenly Jane wants to hit herself for assuming that Maura wanted exactly what she did.

"No," Maura mutters, her face still white and clammy. "I hadn't the slightest idea you had anything planned. I apologize for taking so long here – I was overcome with a sudden wave of nausea, and I thought it best for me to stay near the facilities." Her voice is soft and shaky. "I think perhaps my digestive tract did not respond well to those hotdogs," she adds regretfully.

Suddenly Jane is no longer angry, and instead her stomach knots in guilt. She breaks the distance between them, wrapping her arm securely around Maura's waist as she offers her the much-needed support. Maura's head falls against Jane's shoulder, a shuddering sigh raking through her exhausted body.

"Come on," Jane mutters softly, leading her gently from the bathroom. "I'll take you home. I'll text Frost to tell him to drop Henry off later."

Maura nods, not a single ounce of protest present. She continues to lean against Jane as the pair finds the nearest exit to the stadium. "I'm sorry, Maura," Jane finally apologizes as they reach the parking lot. "I'm glad you're okay," she speaks simply, letting her know that after all this, that is ultimately all the matters.

Maura's silent for a moment before she responds with one small word. "Yes."

"Hm?" Jane's brow crinkles in confusion, not quite sure what Maura has intended by her reply.

"Yes, I want to marry you," she grins up at Jane, though her smile is still a bit weak. "Your proposal idea was incredibly clever, and I could kick myself for missing it – but regardless of how or when you ask me, the answer will always be yes."

Jane hugs Maura a little closer to her, her words just the assurance she needs right now. "I love you, you know that, right?"

"I would hope you do, Mrs. Isles," Maura chuckles softly.

"Hey, I'm the one who proposed. Doesn't that mean we get to take my last name?" Jane retorts with a grin of her own.

"Maura Rizzoli does have a nice ring to it," she notes. "And I have always secretly wanted to be a Rizzoli."

"Oh, really? I never would have guessed." She brushes her lips against Maura's jaw, lacing her fingers with hers as she brings her fiancée home.

XXX

"Say bye-bye to Nonna, Henry," Jane encourages as her mother swoops Henry in for a final kiss. He giggles as Angela kisses him on the tip of his nose.

"You girls have a safe trip home. I'll see you tonight - I've got some more wedding plans to discuss with you," Angela calls after them as the leave the Division One Café with Henry blowing kisses on his way out. Jane rolls her eyes, biting back a remark.

"You should let him walk, Jane," Maura states as she keeps Henry tucked against her on the way to the car.

"Oh, shush, he'll have plenty of time for that later in life," Jane assures her, ruffling Henry's unruly curls.

"Ma carry me," he agrees, wrapping his fat arms around her neck.

It's a Sunday, and though both Jane and Maura have off, they always seem to find themselves down at the station for some reason or another. Jane had wanted to swap a few files to work on later this evening, and Maura and Henry had tagged along.

"How about we go out for lunch?" Jane suggests as she straps Henry into his seat.

"Unch!" Henry agrees excitedly.

"It seems that it'd be pointless of me to disagree at this point," Maura laughs as Jane pulls into a small sandwich shop down the street.

As she helps Henry out of the car, she places him on the ground this time, reaching for his hand as he totters across the parking lot. Maura gives her a smile of approval as she holds the door open for the pair.

There's a short wait, and Maura excuses herself to the bathroom for a moment. Henry is fascinated by the pictures on the wall, eager to name any color, animal, or object he recognizes.

As she stands to take Henry over to the far wall, encouraging his game, she does a double take as her eyes fall on a man eating alone by a table near the entrance. Henry squirms in her arms as she clings a little tighter to him, watching as the man takes a sip of his iced tea, his face tired and weary. Jane gulps, dumbfounded, though she soon finds her voice.

"Pop?"


	5. Chapter V

_A/N: And here is the last installment. Thanks again for all your support – I hope you guys enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed writing it :]_

* * *

Jane stands there, dumfounded, watching her father turn his gaze. His face melts into an expression of recognition, and Jane automatically holds Henry tighter against her in a protective stance.

"Jane," he mutters, his voice cracking. His face is weary, and he looks about a decade older than the last time she saw him. She doesn't know what to say.

"It's been a while," he continues when she says nothing. Henry seems to sense the gravity of the situation, curling up against Jane's tenseness. She rubs methodical circles on his back, more so for her comfort than for his. She only nods, her tongue suddenly dry and her throat unbearably tight. "Is he yours?" he looks at the toddler, his nose pressed up against Jane's neck. She feels his warm breath wash over her, reminding her to breathe.

Jane nods slowly, trying not to cry. Because he is hers, even he was never meant to be. "This is Henry," she finally squeaks out, and the little boy lifts his head at the sound of his name, bashfully peering over at the man who is either his father or his grandfather, the realization making Jane cling to him all the more.

"Hi, Henry," Frank cracks a smile, his eyes lighting up in the way Jane remembers them when she was a child. Henry quickly buries his face back into Jane's neck, too shy to address the strange man in return. "I feel like I've missed so much," he sighs, his eyes finding Jane's. "I'm so sorry."

She nods again, all she can seem to manage right now. She waits for the inevitable stream of questions to follow, but Maura appears a moment later, just as dumbfounded as Jane as she inches up beside her, her gaze darting between the father and daughter.

"Mr. Rizzoli," she speaks, her voice dry, yet collected.

"Maura," he looks surprised for a moment, and Jane wonders if his mind even edges on what their relationship has become. Henry wriggles in her grasp at the sound of his mother's voice, seeming puzzled by the tension that hangs in the air. "It's good to see you. I'm glad to see you and Jane are still friends."

Jane opens her mouth to speak, but promptly closes it. Her father glances between the two women, as if contemplating what he should say next. It's been over two years since she last saw him, over three since he divorced her mother, but only now does it hit her that she no longer has a father. The man in front of her is not familiar to her; she only sees weakness, vulnerability, and an ugly feeling of grief twists in her stomach when she realizes all she has lost.

She lets out a small whimper that does not go unnoticed to Maura, who reaches out to touch her arm lightly. "Come on," Maura urges gently, her voice soft yet commanding. "We need to go."

It takes Jane a minute to nod, letting her hand slip into Maura's, a warming comfort sweeping over her.

"Wait," Frank mutters, and his eyes slice through Jane, and for a moment she's tempted to let him win.

But Maura gives her hand a gentle squeeze, nodding toward the door, imbuing her with the strength she needs. "No, Pop," he voice is weak, but she confidently carries on. "I need to go – I need to be with my family," her voice cracks over the last word, and she watches his face fall, wondering if she had taken it too far before remembering all he has done.

She follows Maura out the door, letting out a soft sob once they are a fair distance away from the restaurant. Her face is streaming with tears by the time they reach the car, and she stumbles slightly from her blurred vision, planting herself on the edge of the curb before she loses her balance. Maura sits down beside her, touching her arm gently as she reaches for Henry.

"No," Jane mutters softly, clinging to her child for dear life, her hand pressed against his mess of curls. "I have him," she assures her. She needs him; she needs him more than ever right now, pressed up tightly against her, reminding her of what she has, reminding her of what she could have lost.

"Ma," Henry whispers, a hint of worry in his voice. He reaches up to touch Jane's wet cheeks.

Maura rests her head against Jane's shoulder, letting out a shuddering breath of her own. This was something they should have expected, but not something they had prepared for. She rubs her arm gently, letting Jane cry herself out before coaxing her back to the car, a thick silence filling the vehicle as they drive back to their home.

Henry has nodded off by the time they arrive, and Maura gently lifts him from his seat, removing his shoes before taking him down the hall to his room where he can adequately nap. She watches him sleep for a moment, never appreciating him more than she has in this moment. He's theirs, but he's not supposed to be, and that realization has her shaken as she brushes his soft cheek gently with the pad of her thumb.

"I love you," she whispers, kissing his hair gently, pulling herself away. He's safe here. He's safe, and he's theirs, and right now Jane needs her.

Maura finds her in the living room, curled up on the couch, her knees tucked to her chest and her gaze planted on the floor below her. "Jane," she murmurs softly, touching her knee as she joins her. "I'm sorry."

"S'not your fault," she mutters, continuing to stare at the floor.

"I'm sorry I pulled you away so quickly – I know you may have needed to talk to him more thoroughly, but I got scared," she admitted, looking down at her hands, clenching and unclenching her fingers as she speaks. "We skirted around so many rules and formalities with Henry's adoption – I was scared you'd tell him too much. I was scared we'd lose our baby," her voice cracks, and she licks her lips, trying not to cry.

Jane reaches for her hand, holding it securely in her own. "We're never going to let that happen," she affirms. "Never," she repeats. "And please, don't apologize. I'm glad you pulled me away, because I wasn't sure I'd be strong enough. All he's done – all he _hasn't _done – he doesn't deserve my time of day. And it hurts," she gulps. "It fucking hurts, but I need to move on."

"Jane," Maura's voice is fragile. Her face contorts into an expression of empathy as Jane's pain radiates off hers.

"He used to be everything to me, you know," Jane continues on, her voice wavering slightly. "I used to beg him to let me come along to help him with his plumbing jobs – used to say I was gonna grow up and work in the business with him. He was the one who was supposed to walk me down the aisle." She pauses, letting her words settle. "I used to see him as so much more than he really was. But dads are supposed to be like that – we're supposed to look up to them; they're supposed to be there – and when they're not – it's like a whole part of your life just lost it's meaning."

"The gods are fallen and all safety is gone," Maura quotes bitterly. "_East of Eden," _she adds for Jane's convenience at her puzzled gaze. "There's a passage where Steinbeck explores just that – that moment when a child realizes that their parents cannot amount to everything they thought they were. And it happens at varying levels throughout a person's life, but it's never easy to accept that the people we look to most, whether we consciously admit it or not, cannot always be that solid foundation we once believed them to be. I learned at a young age that my parents were likely to disappoint me, and it hurts, not matter what stage of your life you discover it."

Jane manages a small smile, and though the sting of disappointment still hurts, she feels less alone as she realizes what a strong woman sits beside her.

XXX

"Whoa there kiddo, watch where you're going," Jane reaches out to catch Henry as he barrels toward her, as naked as the day he was born. She lifts him into her grasp, listening to him shriek with delight.

"Uh, Maur?" She finds her girlfriend in the kitchen, making a peanut butter and fluff sandwich for their son. "Care to explain why our kid is lacking in the clothing department?"

Maura licks some excess marshmallow fluff off her fingers, putting the perfect sandwich triangles onto a plate. "I read this fascinating article online about an effective potty training method. It's called the 'Bare-bottomed Method,' and it's really just as simple as it sounds – you simply allow your child to go about his day without any clothing on because he's much more aware of his body and its functions when he does not have the comfort of his diaper. It's been proven to work in as little as three days," she states matter-of-factly.

Jane raises an eyebrow, looking skeptical. "So how many puddles have you had to clean up off the floor?"

"None, actually. He went in his potty chair earlier this morning – didn't you, big boy?" she takes a moment to praise the child wriggling in Jane's grasp. "And he hasn't had an accident all day."

"Then I stand corrected." Jane's been put in her place. She puts Henry back on the floor, letting him run around in all his glory. "How was your day?" She reaches to snake her arms around Maura's waist, nuzzling her nose up against her neck.

"Oh!" Maura's a bit startled by her touch, but she soon relaxes into her embrace, finding his hard to form a coherent thought as Jane trails a series of kisses from her hairline to the nape of her neck. "My dress fitting went well," she mumbles, smiling as she pictures the gown. "And Henry and I have been having a relaxing day. What about you?"

It takes Jane a moment to answer, still quite preoccupied with Maura's neck. "Pretty uneventful, though I—" she stops, straining to listen. "Maura," she groans. "I think your bare-bottomed method is about to bite you in the back."

She pulls away, hurrying down the hall, followed closely by Maura, where sure enough, Henry has decided to empty his bladder on an unfortunate pair of shoes that Maura has left by her bedroom door.

"Bee-bee, Momma," he grins proudly, repeating what he has learned this morning, toddling over to her as he waits for her approval.

Maura has gone white, her face fixated on her wet shoes, and Jane can't help but to bark out a laugh, her face darting from Maura's gaping expression to Henry's proud grin. "Looks like we'll be taking a shopping trip soon. I'll put pull-ups and shoes on the list."

XXX

"I swear, if Ma makes one more comment about what _she _wants for this wedding, I'm calling the whole thing off." Jane collapses on the bed, groaning when she sees it's already nearly one. Her argument with her mother was _not _worth losing so much sleep. The weeks they've spent planning this wedding are wearing her thin, and she's about ready to punch someone every time it's even mentioned.

"Oh, so you don't want to marry me now?" Maura pouts slightly, placing her novel on the nightstand and snuggling up beside Jane instead.

"Am I even marrying you? Because it sure as hell feels like I'm marrying mother at this rate," Jane huffs, letting out an irritated growl. "I mean, if this is what you want, then I will suck it up with a grin. But there is no fucking way I'm getting my mother's hideous dress altered and hosting a reception for my thousands of loud-mouthed Italian relatives if it's just for my mother."

She turns toward Maura, knowing she'll get the truth, because even in the dim lighting, she can clearly detect an outbreak of hives.

"Honestly, Jane, I just want to see you happy." There is no appeasing tone in her voice – she truly wishes simply this. "I used to have all these intricate plans for my wedding, but it was more so because I was focused on the event itself rather than the person I'd actually be marrying. When I imagine my wedding now, all I see is you."

"That is probably the corniest thing I've ever heard," Jane snorts, but her heart is melting all the same. She leans over to press her lips gently against Maura's, the simple action still causing butterflies to erupt in her stomach. "Let's elope. We can go to the cliffs of Santorini and get married on top of a volcano."

"You remembered." Maura blushes, looking quite pleased.

Jane bends in to kiss her again, tracing the length of her jaw with her thumb. "Of course I remembered. It's kind of hard to forget wedding plans as outlandish as that."

"Would you really want to elope?" Maura questions, twisting one of Jane's curls around her finger absentmindedly.

Jane scoffs before she realizes that Maura has spoken seriously. "I mean, I'm sure as hell tempted to at this point." The more she thinks about it as more than a fleeting thought, the more appealing it becomes. "It would be kind of fun, wouldn't it?"

"Then let's do it," Maura states simply.

"Wait, are you serious?" Jane props herself up on her elbow, her eyes widening at Maura's proposal.

"I'm not breaking out in hives, am I?" she laughs, rising from the bed. "Come on, let's get ready."

"Wait, we're going now?" Jane slides to edge of the bed, watching incredulously as Maura emerges from the closet with her wedding gown draped over her arms.

"Part of the thrill of eloping is the unexpected nature of it – it wouldn't be as fun if we took the time to think it through." She begins to peel off her clothes, shimmying into her Vera Wang silk charmeuse dress.

"You're gonna wear _that_?" Jane hovers around the entrance to the closet, unsure about what she's expected to wear as Maura adjusts her four thousand dollar wedding gown.

"Well, I can't very well return it since I've already had the alterations made, so I might as well make the best of it," she grins, quite unfazed by the fact that they have just thrown all their wedding plans down the drain in a matter of minutes.

"And what the hell am I supposed to wear?" Jane raises an eyebrow, slightly irritated, but more so amused and somewhat excited as they take action to go through with their spontaneous idea.

Maura struts into the closet, emerging with Jane's well-worn Red Sox's jersey, tossing it her way. She smirks as her girlfriend skillfully catches it, her look of shock gradually morphing into grin. "I remembered, too."

XXX

"So where are we going? Pretty sure City Hall is closed," Jane mutters as they slip out into the night, Jane clad in a pair of ratty jeans and her jersey while Maura clicks behind her in a pair of ivory Louboutins. They had successfully delivered Henry to the Pack 'N' Play in guesthouse, leaving their sleeping toddler in Angela's care. "And Vegas seems a bit ambitious for tonight, even for us." Even so, she would not have put it past Maura to already be booking the tickets on her phone.

"I have a plan; don't fret," Maura assuages her, the engine roaring through the night as she turns the key in the ignition. Jane winces, sure she'll see her mother barreling toward them any moment now, putting a sudden halt to their hasty plans.

"We're really doing this," Jane marvels as they safely leave the driveway, overcome by a sudden rush of adrenaline.

"I don't know why you're so surprised – it was your idea after all," Maura reminds her, quite confidently driving to their unknown destination.

"Yeah, but I was kind of joking," Jane admits, trying to decipher Maura's plans. She's not really sure where they can legally get married at this hour, though she's sure with Maura's extensive knowledge on _everything_ that she's found a loophole faster than Jane could have googled it.

Jane feels Maura put a slight pressure on the break, turning to her with a worried expression. "You were joking?"

"Relax," Jane assures her, reaching to touch her thigh through the silky material of her dress. "I'm all in now – in fact, I can't believe we didn't think of this ages ago."

They're a good few blocks away when Jane knows exactly where they're headed, the route making her nostalgic.

"Fenway Park?" A grin spills across Jane's face.

Maura matches her grin. "Where else?"

"Aw, come on, Maur, that was just a silly childhood dream. We don't really have to do this – city hall would be just fine."

"Yes, but not nearly as romantic," Maura counters, finding a parking spot, a glimmer in her eyes. She takes Jane's hand, leading her toward the darkened stadium. "You don't honestly believe I haven't been thinking about this ever since the day you told me, do you?"

And all at once, Jane has Maura pinned up against the outer wall of the stadium, capturing her mouth with hers. "You," she pauses for a moment to thoroughly kiss her, "are," she loses her train of though as Maura lets out a satisfied moan, "perfect," the word escapes her lips in a hush, letting her nose trail against the line of Maura's jaw, trying to calm her breathing. "Are you sure this is what you want though?"

"Do I look like I'm protesting?" Maura laughs breathily, letting her hands curl around Jane's neck as she swoops in for another kiss.

It takes them a good five minutes to cease their kissing before they continue on, hand in hand as they head toward the entrance. "So how do you plan on getting us in?" Jane voices her immediate concern. "I'm pretty sure they have security guard stationed here at night."

Maura reaches mischievously into the bosom of her dress, producing Jane's badge. "I've seen this do the job quite a few times," she murmurs with a sly wink.

"Oh, you're bad," Jane raises an eyebrow, and it takes all Jane has not to throw her against the wall again, immensely aroused by Maura's current behavior.

It doesn't take them long to find the night watchman on one of his rounds. "Can I help you two?" he asks, skeptically eyeing the pair.

"Yes, sir," Jane tries not to laugh as she produces her badge. "We're investigating a case, and recent events have led us here, so we'd like to have a look inside if you don't mind." It takes all she has to keep her face straight, and she can feel Maura trembling beside her, an eruption of laughter building inside of her as well.

"Uh, detective?" he mutters, trying to sound as polite as possible as he examines her badge for any discrepancies. "Are you under the influence?"

"No, sir," she answers, though he upper lip twitches. "You can do a Breathalyzer test if you deem necessary, but I assure you I'm completely, honest-to-god sober."

He glances down at her badge once again, letting out a sigh as he reaches for his keys. "Alright – hope you find what you're looking for," he mutters. "She going with you?" He raises an eyebrow at her bride.

"Yes, sir, she's a very crucial part of this investigation," she speaks with a solemn tone, glad when he finally pries open the gate for them.

As soon as he's out of sight, they burst into uncontrollable laughter. "Oh, man," Jane gasps between her fits of laughter. "We could get into so much trouble for this – but it is so, so worth it," she assures her. "I love you so much."

She grins at Jane's words, the simple phrase never ceasing to bring butterflies to her stomach. "I honestly don't think I've ever experienced a thrill equivalent to this," Maura admits as the two descend toward the field. She gives Jane's hand a squeeze, leaving their fingers loosely intertwined.

The glow of the moon offers the two enough light as they traipse out onto the field, stopping only when they're both situated over home plate. Maura grins at Jane, taking both her hands in her own as she catches her gaze. "Are you ready?"

She nods, suddenly feeling a bit subdued as the reality of the situation sinks in. Here they are, exchanging vows over home plate in Fenway Park. It feels so surreal, so outlandish, that she wonders if she'd pinch herself if she'd wake up.

"Jane Clementine Rizzoli," Maura begins, keeping Jane's hands in her grasp. Jane lets out a protest of disgust at the use of her full name. "Hush," Maura scolds, narrowing her gaze at Jane, who promptly shuts her mouth. "If someone had told me I'd marry that hooker I met in Division One coffee shop all those years ago, I would have told them they were severely deluded," she lets out a small laugh, and Jane snorts at the memory. Maura continues, a more serious tone in her voice now. "I accepted from a very young age that I didn't connect well with people, and I learned that the only person I could truly rely on was myself. It never really bothered me – when you don't know what you're missing out on, you don't often give it a second thought. But then I met you, and call me corny, but you truly became my everything. You became the best friend I'd only ever read about in books. You became the one person I trusted enough to confide in, a shoulder for me to cry on – you taught me that it was okay to express my emotions, and you made me feel comfortable in my own skin for the first time in the presence of someone else. But most of all, you showed me what it truly means to be loved," she pauses, watching as Jane's eyes soften. Jane gives her hands a gentle squeeze as she carries on. "There are so many varying levels of love, and you've met me on each and every one. I don't even think I believed in love until I met you – I was always so fixated on the concrete, tangible facts that I could calculate that I never expected to understand something that is so inexplicable – so magical, if you will," she laughs at her choice of words. "Because really, that's what it is. This is what you read about in fairytales when you're a young girl and dream about finding – and I don't think many people do find what we've found, Jane. I feel so lucky and blessed to have found that one person I _know _completes me – that one person who forms the other half of me I never knew was missing. I love you, Jane. I love you so much – and I am so, so proud to call you my wife."

They both have tears in their eyes, and Jane reaches up to wipe Maura's cheek softly as she begins to speak, "I hope I can do justice to what you just said – because I'm not always so good with words, but I want you to know how much you mean to me, Maura," she begins. "I've been restless my whole life, never really comfortable with who I was. Growing up I never felt comfortable with my own body, and I hid my insecurities with boyish clothes and a boatload of sarcasm. I always just thought I'd find a man I'd fall in love with and end up marrying – that's what Ma drilled into my mind anyway. But I always felt awkward around guys – I'd try the whole flirty thing and fail miserably. I could never just be myself, and I never felt comfortable enough to let my guard down. But you – I don't know what it was about you, but I found myself confident in myself for the first time after we became friends. There's always just been something so natural and comfortable between us – I just never thought it would amount to anything more than friendship. I never in my life imagined myself in a relationship with a girl – hell, I still can't see myself in a relationship with a woman. But you're just you – you're Maura, and you're beautiful, quirky, lovable, and compassionate – and you're real. You've been so real and honest with me from the day we met, and I think that's what intrigued me about you and ultimately made me the woman I am today. Because you're so much more than just a gender, or love interest, or all those words that apply to normal relationships – we go above all that, and we just simply are, just Maura and Jane – and I love that I found myself in you, because without you, I'd still be searching for myself. I love you, and forever will not even begin to be enough time with you."

Maura leans in to kiss her breathless lips. There's no cheering, no music, just the muted sounds of the city pulsing around them, oblivious to the events that have just transpired. But for Maura and Jane, the world is new, the world is fresh, the world is perfect, and they revel in this feeling as they walk hand in hand out of the stadium.

"Find what you were looking for?" the guard asks as the smiling couple finally emerges.

"Yes, sir," Jane grins. "And it would be very much appreciated if you could take a picture of us – just so we have something to file away in evidence," she adds, handing him her phone as she tugs Maura closer to her, kissing her cheek.

He mutters something unintelligible, shrugging as he takes the picture.

"Thank you," Jane says as he hands her the phone. "Your cooperation has been much appreciated."

They're both laughing again as the reach Maura's car, and she once again drives off into the night, though Jane quickly realizes that their destination is not their home.

"I hope you don't mind, but I would like to legally marry you," Maura smiles as they pull into the empty parking lot at city hall. She unbuckles her seat belt, tackling Jane into the back seat of the car, grinning down at her breathlessly. "It doesn't open for a few more hours, but I can think of a suitable way to pass the time," she winks, pulling Jane's hips toward hers.

Jane lets out a throaty laugh, already beginning to help Maura shimmy out of her dress.

XXX

"Morning, girls," Angela greets them, holding a cup of coffee in her grasp as she enters the main house.

It's hours later, and Jane and Maura are both showered and relaxed, watching the morning news as Henry plays with his train set on the floor in front of them.

"Morning, Ma," Jane greets, a permanent grin plastered on her face.

"I'm glad to see you in such a good mood this morning – I was worried you'd be grumpy after last night," her mother raises an eyebrow, referring to the fight that feels simply eons ago. "I was hoping that you'd be willing to look into some places to have your reception with me this afternoon – and it'd be nice if you didn't put up a fuss," she states as pleasantly as she can manage.

"Won't be necessary," Jane waves her off, and her mother raises an eyebrow in delight, inferring too quickly. "The wedding's off," Jane adds, and Angela's expression becomes enraged almost instantly.

"What?" she sputters, finding Maura's face for confirmation.

Maura looks a bit bashful, but she nods. Jane reaches for the marriage certificate they left out on the coffee table, along with a printed version of their sole wedding picture. "We really didn't think a wedding would be necessary anymore, seeing as we're already officially married." She nudges the document in the photo in her mother's direction, watching her face contort into an expression of shock.

"Jane Clementine Rizzoli!" she shrieks, her eyes falling on the blurry photo and the printed words. She glances up, finding Maura's face. "Maura Dorothea Isles!"

"Actually, Ma, it's Rizzoli-Isles now." Jane plants a finger down on the official document. "Had and resolved our first marital argument already."

"I can't…you two…" she trails off, letting out a frustrated groan. She tosses the papers angrily down on the coffee table before storming out of the house.

"Will she be okay?" Maura asks a bit nervously, suddenly feeling empathetic.

"'Course," Jane answers. "Besides, she's still got Tommy and Frankie – I'm sure they'll find girls who want a big ass wedding."

"It's different when it's your own daughter getting married, though," Maura inadvertently defends, finding Jane's eyes.

Jane sighs. "I know she had big dreams for this wedding, but it wasn't hers to dream for. I'm happy – are you happy?" she asks.

Maura nods, even though she still looks a bit torn.

"Well that's all that really matters when it comes down to it. This is what we wanted, Maura. This was for us – and really, that's what a wedding is all about."

She rests her hand against Maura's legs, watching her expression relax. She'll deal with her mother later, because she truly doesn't have a single regret in the world right now. As she watches her son play, with Maura curled up contently beside her, she fully appreciates what she has been so lucky just to happen upon, because she could not have planned it better if she tried.


End file.
